CBSE Class 10 Previous Year Question Papers — Where to Find Them and How to Use Them
CBSE Class 10 previous year question papers: where to download them free, which years match the 2027 pattern, commonly tested topics and a solving method.
CBSE Class 10 previous year question papers are free on cbse.gov.in. For the Board exams 2027, solve the 2026, 2025 and 2024 papers first — they are closest to the current pattern. Always check your answers against the marking scheme.
Where to Download
| Source | What you get |
|---|---|
| cbse.gov.in | Past board question papers and marking schemes |
| cbseacademic.nic.in | Sample question papers and marking schemes for 2026-27 |
Which Years to Use
| Papers | How close to 2027 | How to use them |
|---|---|---|
| 2026, 2025, 2024 | Closest — competency-based, case-based and assertion-reason questions | Solve first, as full timed papers |
| 2023 | Single full exam, similar sections | Solve next |
| 2022 and earlier | Older pattern (2022 had two terms, with an MCQ-only Term 1) and older syllabus | Topic practice only; skip questions on topics no longer in the syllabus |
Syllabus check: some topics in older papers are no longer in the board exam. For example, in Science the electric motor, electromagnetic induction and the electric generator are now assessed only by your school. See our removed-topics guide.
Commonly Tested Topics
These topics come up often in recent Class 10 papers. They are a good place to focus your practice, but questions can come from any chapter in the syllabus.
Mathematics
- Quadratic equations — word problems
- Arithmetic progressions — nth term and sum
- Trigonometric identities — prove LHS = RHS
- Surface areas and volumes — combinations of solids
- Statistics — mean, median and mode of grouped data
- Triangles — basic proportionality theorem and similarity
- Circles — tangent properties
- Real numbers — HCF and LCM by prime factorisation
Science
- Electricity — Ohm's law, resistors in series and parallel, power
- Light — mirror and lens formulas, ray diagrams
- Chemical reactions — balancing and types of reactions
- Life processes — the human heart, digestion, respiration
- Heredity — Mendel's experiments, sex determination
- Carbon compounds — nomenclature, properties and reactions
- Magnetic effects of current — field patterns, Fleming's left-hand rule
Social Science
- Nationalism in India
- Power sharing and federalism
- Development — per capita income and other indicators
- Money and credit — formal and informal sources
- Map work (5 marks: History 2, Geography 3)
- Resources and development
Practise topic by topic
Super Tutor has chapter-wise practice quizzes and important questions for CBSE Class 10, so you can fix weak chapters between full papers.
Start freeHow to Solve PYQs — 4 Steps
1. Exam conditions
- Set a timer for exactly 3 hours.
- No phone, no books, no breaks.
- Write answers as you would in the exam — full steps, diagrams, labels.
2. Mark it with the marking scheme
- Give step marks strictly — partial marks matter.
- Note your score out of 80 and track it across papers.
3. Sort your mistakes
| Error type | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Concept gap | Could not do a similarity proof | Revise the theorem, then solve several similar questions |
| Silly mistake | Calculation slip in trigonometry | Slow down and write each step |
| Time pressure | Left questions unattempted | Skip hard questions and come back to them |
| Presentation | Missing units or labels | Always write units and label diagrams |
4. Targeted revision
After each paper, revise only the chapters where you lost marks. Keep a running list across papers — a chapter that keeps appearing needs focused work.
A Five-Week Plan
| Week | What to solve | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 papers — all subjects | Your baseline on the current pattern |
| 2 | 2025 papers | Pattern recognition |
| 3 | 2024 papers + an extra paper for weak subjects | Target weaknesses |
| 4 | The 2026-27 CBSE sample papers | Rehearse the exact 2027 pattern |
| 5 | Re-solve every question you got wrong | Close the gaps |
Past papers and marking schemes: cbse.gov.in. Syllabus checks: CBSE Secondary Curriculum 2026-27 (cbseacademic.nic.in).
Turn this into exam marks
Super Tutor gives you chapter summaries, revision notes, practice quizzes and an AI doubt solver matched to your board syllabus — so you revise smarter, not longer.
Start freeFrequently Asked Questions
Where can I download CBSE Class 10 previous year papers?
From CBSE's official website, cbse.gov.in, which publishes past board question papers and marking schemes, and cbseacademic.nic.in for the current sample papers. Both are free. Avoid third-party sites that may have modified or incorrect papers.
Which years should I solve first?
Start with the most recent papers — 2026, then 2025 and 2024. These are closest to the current pattern of competency-based, case-based and assertion-reason questions. Older papers are still useful for topic practice, but check each question against the 2026-27 syllabus, because some topics have since been removed or are now assessed only by the school.
Do questions repeat in CBSE Class 10 board exams?
Exact questions rarely repeat, but question types do — quadratic equation word problems, trigonometric identities, electricity numericals and chemical equations come up again and again. Solving past papers trains you to recognise these patterns.
Are previous year papers enough for the board exam?
No. Use them alongside the NCERT textbook, the 2026-27 CBSE sample papers and revision of your weak chapters. Past papers are best for practising timing, answer writing and the kinds of questions CBSE asks.
How do I use the marking scheme while solving PYQs?
After each paper, mark yourself with the official marking scheme: give step marks exactly as it describes, note whether each lost mark was a concept gap, a calculation slip or presentation, and see how marks are given for diagrams and working.